The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) consisting of India, Japan, Australia, and the United States was decades in the making to curb China’s rising influence in the Indo-Pacific through shared democratic values and strategic cooperation. But under President Donald Trump’s administration, the Quad may be starting to fray along the edges, as a result of growing trade tensions. Trump has put massive tariffs on all of the Quad members: India will receive a 50% penalty, Japan 15% and Australia 10% for steel and aluminum.
These protectionist actions, while professing that all of these nations are “friends,” have created an environment of diminishing economic trust in the Quad. Experts have cautioned about increasing friction, especially between the United States and India, on key issues such as Russian oil imports which could delay upcoming occasions, like next week’s Quad summit in New Delhi. Analysts warn that much of what took years to build could be undone in one presidential term if Quad members cannot relearn shared priorities. The Quad seems to be at a crossroads, as its leading partner is struggling to keep economic nationalism at bay.
